Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 12 Mai 1947.
Sir Walter Fletcher
, Bury
12:00,
12 Mai 1947
asked the Minister of Food what shipments of rice have been made from Siam in February, March and April, 1947, respectively.
Dr Leslie Haden-Guest
, Islington North
asked the Minister of Food what price the International Rice Commission is now paying for rice in Siam; and whether expected supplies are now available.
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
About 20,500 tons of rice were exported from Siam in February, 31,800 tons in March, and 45,000 tons between 1st and 25th April. The Combined Siam Rice Commission do not buy rice; the present export price is about £26 per ton f.o.b.
Sir Walter Fletcher
, Bury
Would the Minister agree that this total for very nearly three months is well below the contracts signed last year, and what steps is he taking to see that supplies of this vital food from Malaya and other parts of the East are very largely increased? Has he managed to see that the owner and producer of rice gets the benefit of the foreign exchange and not the Government?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
I would agree that these totals are not fully satisfactory but they are rising. I would not like to utter any complacent words about the situation. My Director of Rice has very recently been in Siam and we are putting very strong pressure on the Siamese Government in view of the immense importance of this foodstuff and we shall certainly continue to do so.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
May I protest against, "My Director of Rice?" The Director of Rice is a servant of the taxpayer and of the country.
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
If the phrase does not please the hon. Member, I shall be delighted to withdraw it.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
